# Why are block Meerschaum pipes so costly?



## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

THIS is why... 
Turkish Meerschaum
YouTube - Meerschaum Pipes from the ground up
YouTube - Meerschaum pipe making

To everyone involved with making fine meerschaum pipes: please accept my sincere apologies for my ignorant lack of appreciation of your toil and skilled works! :sorry:


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## Variables (Dec 2, 2009)

Although I don't have any meers, a nice IMP Meer can be acquired for ~$100. Nicer specimens (like a Baki, which I think are nice pipes) can go for ~$200. Not too bad for a piece that will potentially outlive you


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## Blaylock-cl (Apr 28, 2006)

Thanks for posting this, Dan.

Often, when I'm smoking from my Meerschaum, I sit back and ponder the hard work and craftmanship that went into creating these fine pipes. I think about the worker down in that dark mine, picking away at the rock to find the perfect block that will someday turn into a work of art.

My hope is that at the end of his long day's work, he too has an opportunity to savor the smoke from his own meerschaum pipe.


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## Garin (May 21, 2010)

Great videos! I'm definitely keen on picking up a meer of my own.


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## IrishCamel81 (Jan 26, 2009)

Meers have been getting a lot of attention on the boards as of late. I think blocks are reasonably priced from some of the main sellers we know of. AND Meers are listed from $59, Baki, IMP and Altinok pipes start at around $99. Low enough for anyone interested to take a chance.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

As a smoker who moved from briar to meerschaum, my first thought was "Man, a meerschaum is way cheaper than a comparable briar!". My first Baki was half the cost of my first Dunhill, and my first Dunhill was purchased 20 years earlier! 

Thanks for the links, Dan! Meerschaum carvers are indeed artisans and are deserving of our support.


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## Brinson (Oct 28, 2007)

Yeah, but Dr. Grabow briars go for like $20 and aren't so bad. You can pick up a nice estate savinelli for like $30ish. 

I got 5 Dr. Grabow pipes for $10, so it was $2 each.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Brinson said:


> Yeah, but Dr. Grabow briars go for like $20 and aren't so bad. You can pick up a nice estate savinelli for like $30ish.
> 
> I got 5 Dr. Grabow pipes for $10, so it was $2 each.


True, but Grabows are machine made pipes, which cuts down on the cost. Handmade meerschaums... or handmade briars... are naturally going to cost more to make and cost more to buy. "Comparable" was the operative word, but upon rereading my post above, my use of that word probably confused more than it clarified!

Your point bears some discussion. It's entirely true that one can buy a very smokable briar for much less than a smokable meerschaum, the degree of hand work notwithstanding. I do not recommend that someone spend under about $75 (or so) on a meer, whereas, as you pointed out, a decent briar can be had for much less. I happen to think that meerschaum provides a "better" smoke than ANY briar pipe, regardless of cost, but that is a personal belief. I've owned many inexpensive briars that smoked well and ZERO meers under around $75 that did so. Estate pipes can bridge that gap, of course. But when someone is considering the cost of a new meer, they need to consider that the carver selects the best block they can find (or the best they typically use), the carving is done expertly which takes time, and even the stem is often hand-cut rather than machine made. Do these things improve the smoking experience? In my opinion, they absolutely do.

When I was a briar person, I had several sub-$75 pipes but I also owned several that cost well into the hundreds of dollars. Baki meerschaums, at half the cost or less of many of my old briars, outperform said briars IMHO. From that perspective, I find meerschaum pipes to be a total steal. I sold 95% of my briars and replaced them with meers. I about broke even (i.e selling estate Dunhills for about the price of new Bakis).


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## Brinson (Oct 28, 2007)

Its definitely true the most expensive pipes I've ever seen for sale were easily, easily briars. Some of those outrageously expensive ones might even have four numbers before the period in the price tag. When I get a little spare money, I plan on buying a decent Meerschaum and seeing for myself what all the talk is about, but until then, cheap briars suit me well, for the most part.


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## juni (Oct 16, 2009)

I like meers because you can really taste the tobacco. Plus it is fun to see how the coloring progresses.


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